A Historical Periodization: From Nature to Early Stages of Human Settlement, to Classic Age

In spite of its spatial extension and the absence of transport routes, the CA area played a central role—actually a crossroad—between the different Eurasian civilizations. Migration movements of nomadic and sedentary populations affected this region and they represented the inner core of the Silk Road, the most important commercial route between China and the West. During the centuries of the Ancient and Middle Age, two particular trends characterized the Central Asian political and socio-economic dimension: the presence and the co-existence of the nomadic and sedentary lifestyle. The process of settlement was not irreversible in this area where different types of ways of living could cyclically change. Furthermore, settled and nomadic population interacted and influenced each other in cultural and social terms and they occasionally established symbiotic relations in different timeframes of history. Due to its geographical location, Central Asia assumed a role of economic and cultural link between Asiatic cultures, especially Chinese and Indian, and Europe. The transit of most important trade routes in the world through CA was an important catalyst to regional economic development. Moreover, it represented the place where technological innovations were transmitted from east to west and vice versa. Finally, it was the meeting point of different religions and traditions, which imprinted an indelible mark on the regional culture. It is interesting to analyse the history of Central Asia since the ancient times, particularly focusing on socio-economic elements, which characterized the region throughout the centuries.